The Christmas Act
by InvisiMeg
Summary: While working on A Christmas Carol together, Rachel and Quinn are given a choice: learn to get along better or be kicked out of the play.
1. Chapter 1

**This is just going to be a short little story for the holidays and I'll be posting a chapter a day.**

 **Chapter 1**

"That's enough!" Mr. Schue yelled. "Both of you!"

Rachel huffed and crossed her arms over her chest to show her annoyance. She had just been trying to give Quinn a little friendly advice only to be snapped at once again, and Mr. Schue was acting like _she_ had done something wrong.

"I'm tired of listening to you two bicker at each other and, frankly, I'm at a loss about what to do," Mr. Schue said. "You've been teammates for the last year, but you still can't learn to get along. Well, I've had enough. If you two can't learn to get along, you're both out of the play."

Rachel's mouth dropped in indignation. "Mr. Schue, you can't do that. We open in two days!"

"I know and I don't care," Mr. Schue replied. "I'll cancel the play if I have to. I do know I'm not going to listen to you be at each other's throats one more time."

"Wanky."

Rachel rolled her eyes at Santana's comment and noticed Quinn doing the same.

"This is completely unfair," Rachel argued. "I was simply telling Quinn she would be better seen if she took a few steps to the left. I shouldn't be punished when she was the one who threatened me with physical violence."

"I don't care, Rachel," Mr. Schue replied. "You've been bossing everyone around for the last few weeks. You're not the director."

Rachel huffed again. She knew she wasn't the director; if she had been, they certainly wouldn't have as many problems as they did under Mr. Schue's direction. She just wanted it to be the best production it could be, so she had been giving everyone tips. Unfortunately, most of her fellow students didn't want to listen to them even if she knew what she was talking about.

"You two don't need to be friends, but you do need to learn to act like civilized people toward one another," Mr. Schue stated. "One more outburst from either of you and you're _both_ out."

"But—"

"I don't want to hear it, Rachel," Mr. Schue interrupted.

Rachel felt like crying, but she wasn't about to do it in front of everyone. None of this was fair and she felt like she was being punished for no reason. Not for the first time, she felt like Mr. Schue was actively trying to ruin her life. Like most of the kids and other teachers at school, he'd never seemed to like her very much.

"Let's take a break," Mr. Schue said. "I want everyone back here in ten minutes."

Before the teacher had even finished talking, Rachel was already walking away. As she began walking down the steps and down the aisle, she could hear everyone else dispersing behind her. Since she didn't have to worry about any of them following her to make sure she was okay, she didn't bother holding back her tears any longer.

She couldn't believe how unfair Mr. Schue was being. First, he hadn't given her the lead role in the play, and now he was trying to kick her out of it entirely. And to make matters worse, he'd given the lead role to Quinn. Quinn had never shown any interest in acting before, and Rachel was convinced Quinn had only tried out for it because she wanted to take the role from her.

"Do us all a favor, Quinn, and get Rachel kicked out of the play," Rachel heard Santana say in a loud voice. "At least then the rest of us won't have to listen to her. Better yet, we won't have to look at her."

Rachel did her best to ignore Santana's comment as she passed by the bathroom for one a little further down the hallway. Unfortunately, she was used to hearing much worse come from the Cheerio's mouth, but she would be lying if she said it didn't still hurt her feelings. What hurt more, though, was that no one ever defended her in any way. Not only did they not stop Santana form saying the things she did, but Rachel actually heard several of them laugh.

"She can't do that," Brittany replied. "Then she'll be out of the play, too."

"She could take one for the team," Mercedes said. "And then I could take the lead since everyone knows I should've been the one to get it in the first place."

Rachel wanted to turn around and say something, but she knew it wouldn't do any good. Instead, she held her head up as she rounded the corner, not wanting to appear as if anything they said had any effect on her.

* * *

Rachel hesitated as she watched Quinn walking across the parking lot. After a moment, though, she quickly began following her, hoping to catch her before she got in her car and drove off. She knew she was probably going to regret this, but she wasn't about to get kicked out of the play and something had to be done.

"Quinn!" Rachel called out.

She could see Quinn's shoulders rise and fall, obviously sighing at hearing Rachel's voice, but her steps didn't slow. If anything, she seemed to begin walking faster, but not fast enough to get away from Rachel.

"Wait," Rachel demanded as she caught up with the blonde. "We need to discuss this."

"What's there to discuss?" Quinn asked.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I don't want to be kicked out of the play," Rachel replied. "And Mr. Schue says we have to get along or else—"

"I know what he said," Quinn interrupted. "And maybe if you would stop telling me what to do fifty times a day—"

"I'm not telling you what to do," Rachel said before Quinn could finish her sentence. "I was simply trying to help."

"But you're not helping!" Quinn replied, her voice rising. "You think you should have gotten the part, and you keep pointing out how you would have done it. But you didn't get it, did you? Maybe there's a reason for that."

"Of course there is," Rachel said. "Mr. Schue doesn't like me, and he let his bias against me cloud his judgment."

Quinn rolled her eyes. "It couldn't be that I was just better than you, could it? I know you think you're better than everyone at everything, but that doesn't make it true."

"Who says I think I'm better than anyone?" Rachel asked. "You're the one who thinks you're superior to everyone just because you're more popular."

"You don't know anything about me, Rachel," Quinn replied.

"I know plenty about you," Rachel argued.

"Prove it," Quinn replied.

Rachel's mouth opened and closed for a moment before she asked, "What?"

"If you think you know so much about me then prove it," Quinn said.

"And how am I supposed to do that?" Rachel asked.

Quinn didn't answer; instead, she started to turn toward her car.

"Alright, I know you were only with Finn to boost your popularity, which is the most important thing to you, isn't it?" Rachel said, stopping Quinn. "You don't care who you hurt as long as it boosts your social standing, and I think you hate me because I refuse to be intimated by you like everyone else is."

"If popularity is the most important thing to me then why am I in the Glee Club?" Quinn asked.

"Because you wanted to keep an eye on Finn because you were worried something would happen between us," Rachel replied. "And because you wanted to sabotage the club for Miss Sylvester."

"But that doesn't answer why I'm in it now," Quinn said.

"I think you actually like performing," Rachel replied. "Or maybe you just want the extra opportunity to insult me as much as possible."

"Not everything is about you, Rachel," Quinn said. "And if you would stop your passive aggressive comments that you want to pretend are constructive, maybe I wouldn't have a reason to insult you so much."

"I'm just trying to help," Rachel replied.

"No, you're not," Quinn said, taking a step toward her. "You're just mad Mr. Schue didn't give you the part."

"I won't lie," Rachel replied, standing her ground. "I believe I should have gotten the lead role. I think your audition was weak and devoid of emotion. But that doesn't mean I haven't been trying to help. Even if I'm not the lead, I still want the play to be the best it can be. Mr. Schue's direction has been a little lacking, and since he always ignores any suggestions I make, I thought it would be easier to simply bring them to your attention."

"Well, if you bring something to my attention one more time, we'll both be out of the play," Quinn stated.

"Or you could actually take what I say into consideration," Rachel replied. "Just because you don't like me, it doesn't automatically mean I'm wrong about everything."

"And you thinking you're right about everything doesn't make it true," Quinn argued.

Rachel huffed. "You're never going to listen to anything I have to say, are you?"

"Why should I?" Quinn asked. "It's not like you do. You're too busy talking over everyone to hear them. You always think you're the only person in the room who matters."

"You know, you may say I don't know anything about you, but I think you know even less about me," Rachel said before turning on her heel and walking away from Quinn without another word.

* * *

Rachel could feel the cold air begin to creep in almost the second she turned off the engine. Despite the fact that the car was rapidly becoming cold, she remained sitting in it for several minutes as she looked up at the large house. She had never actually been to Quinn's house before, but she knew she had the correct one. Finn had pointed it out to her once as they drove by. Plus, Quinn's car was sitting in the driveway.

After about five minutes, Rachel grabbed her bag from the passenger seat and finally stepped out into the freezing air. It had been flurrying the whole drive over and was beginning to pick up, causing a light dusting of snow to form on the ground. She was just thankful it had held off long enough for her to get there; she hated driving if there was any snow on the road.

When she walked toward the house, she noticed most of the lights were off, and she wondered if anyone was even home. One of the rooms on the second floor was lit up, though, and it looked like a bedroom from what she could see. As she quickly rang the doorbell, she hoped it meant Quinn was home and that she hadn't just forgotten to turn it off before leaving.

Rachel stood there and listened carefully for any sign that someone was home. After about a minute, she heard footsteps and then noticed the curtain on the window next to the door flutter a little. The door didn't immediately open, though, and she wondered if she was going to have to keep ringing the bell until Quinn finally opened the door, but just as she reached out to ring it again, the door finally opened.

"Hello, Quinn," Rachel greeted.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Quinn asked.

"Are you going to invite me inside?" Rachel asked. "It's a little cold out here."

Quinn looked like that was the last thing she wanted to do, but she stepped to the side, nevertheless, and Rachel took that as her invitation. She walked inside, glancing at Quinn as she did so, and stopped just inside the entryway, looking toward Quinn as the door was closed behind her.

"What are you doing here, Rachel?" Quinn asked as she turned toward her.

"You asked me to prove that I know you, and that's what I intend to do," Rachel stated.

"But why are you _here_?" Quinn asked.

"I don't know about you, but I don't want the play to be cancelled because of us," Rachel replied. "I have my future to think about, and extracurricular activities are one of the things that can help put me above my peers when it comes to getting into the school of my dreams. I've worked too long and hard on this play to not even get to perform in it."

"Are you going to tell me why you're here?" Quinn asked.

"I told you, you asked me to prove that I know you," Rachel repeated. "I'm here to do just that. I'm also here in hopes that we will somehow come to an understanding, or at least a truce. We need to make it through the next two days without arguing, and I think the only way that is going to happen is if we spend some time together and you see that I'm not out to get you, Quinn. Of course, I also intend on proving that I'm right and I know more about you than you think I do."

Quinn looked flabbergasted, but Rachel was taking it as a good sign that she wasn't immediately demanding she leave. As she drove to her house, she wondered if Quinn would even open the door for her, so she already considered it a small victory that she was standing there in her home.

"Please tell me you're kidding," Quinn said.

"I wouldn't joke about something as serious as the fate of my future," Rachel replied. "And I assume you would also like to get into a good school, so I'm sure you'll agree that it would be a shame if neither of us got to participate in the play after we've both spent so much time and energy on it."

"Or you could just stop criticizing every move I make during rehearsals," Quinn remarked.

"Or you could stop assuming it's criticism and realize that maybe I'm really just trying to help," Rachel countered.

Quinn sighed. "Do you really think spending time together is going to help anything? If anything, we're going to kill each other."

"Maybe not, but what's the worst that could happen?" Rachel asked with a shrug.

"I thought saying we would kill each other covered that," Quinn replied.

"That's a little dramatic, don't you think?" Rachel asked.

"Ask me again in an hour," Quinn said, raising her eyebrow.

* * *

It was strange to be standing in Quinn Fabray's bedroom. It would be a lie to say she hadn't wondered what it looked like, but now that she was here, it wasn't quite what she'd pictured. She'd imagined there would be trophies all around from her various victories with the Cheerios, but the only trophies she saw were the ones from the Glee Club's win at Sectionals the past two years. Other than her jacket hanging on the back of the chair, there was nothing in the room to indicate that she was even on the cheerleading squad. She wondered if it was always like that or if Quinn had taken everything down when Coach Sylvester kicked her off the team and had simply never put it back up once she rejoined.

Rachel looked over her shoulder, listening for any sign that Quinn was coming back. After several awkward minutes of standing in the foyer, the blonde had disappeared, mumbling something Rachel didn't quite catch. Eventually, Rachel had wandered upstairs, looking for a bathroom but found Quinn's bedroom instead. It had been so long, though, that she was beginning to wonder if she should go downstairs and see if Quinn had fled the house.

Rachel slowly turned away from Quinn's bookcase and glanced around the room before heading toward the door, where she stopped and looked down the hallway. Just as she'd made up her mind to head downstairs, she could hear footsteps coming up the stairs. She took a few steps back and clasped her hands in front of her, not wanting to look like she'd been snooping around Quinn's room. Not that she had been; she'd been sure not to touch anything, only observing things out in the open.

"I was beginning to wonder if you had left your home to get away from me," Rachel said when Quinn walked into the room.

"Give me time," Quinn replied, pausing for a moment to look at Rachel before walking toward her bed.

"So, you didn't have any plans for the evening, did you?" Rachel asked.

Quinn shrugged but didn't really answer. Rachel didn't really want to interrupt if Quinn did have plans, but since she wasn't saying anything, Rachel wasn't going to worry about it.

"I'm sure you never thought I would be in your bedroom," Rachel commented. "Or I'm guessing you probably hoped I would never be here."

"What could possibly make you think that?" Quinn said, giving her a wry smile.

Rachel gave her a slight smile and then looked down. She hated how Quinn rarely seemed to give her a straight answer about anything. She wondered if it was something Quinn purposefully did, and if it was, she wondered if Quinn did it to everyone else or if she was just like that with her.

"What's this?" Quinn asked, looking at Rachel's bag, which was sitting on the bed.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Rachel said, walking forward. "Let me move that. I didn't really know where to set it."

"What the hell is in there?" Quinn asked when she lifted it.

"Oh, you know—clothing, toiletries." Rachel shrugged. "Everything I thought I may need for the next few days."

"Why do you have clothing and toiletries?" Quinn asked.

"Didn't I tell you? I'm spending the night," Rachel replied.

Quinn's mouth fell open and she almost looked as if she wanted to laugh as she sat down on the bed and said, "You're what?"

"I'm staying the night," Rachel replied. "As long as it's okay with your mother, that is."

"Who says it's okay with me?" Quinn asked.

"While I'm sure it's not on top of your list of things to do this evening, I think you'll agree that it needs to happen given our situation," Rachel said. "I could leave tonight, but I'll just be back in the morning. I told you, I'm here to prove you wrong and to make sure we get through the next few days without incident. And I think the only way we can come to an understanding is if you get to know me a little better, and the only way that's going to happen is if we actually spend a little time with each other."

"My mother isn't here," Quinn stated.

"Oh," Rachel said with a slight frown.

Before she could ask where Quinn's mother _was_ , the blonde had stood up from the bed and turned her back to Rachel. Even though the question was on the tip of her tongue, she could sense that Quinn didn't want to talk about it, so she decided to wait until later to ask her.

* * *

Rachel couldn't help looking at the pictures on the wall as she slowly walked down the stairs. She could tell there were once a lot more pictures up judging by the slight discoloration of the paint on the wall. She could only assume Quinn's mother had taken down all the pictures of Quinn's father after the divorce. Most of the ones left were of Quinn and who Rachel guessed was Quinn's sister whose name escapes her. Though she noticed there were quite a few more of the sister than of Quinn.

She averted her eyes away from the wall and made her way down the stairs and began wandering around, looking for the kitchen. She wasn't really sure where Quinn had disappeared to again, but she was thirsty and needed something to drink. Since Quinn hadn't actually objected to her staying the night, she figured she would try to make herself at home.

Rachel passed through the living room, the den, and the dining room before finally stepping into the enormous kitchen. As with the rest of the house, it was completely spotless, and Rachel wondered if anyone ever actually cooked in it or if all the fancy appliances and gadgets were more of a show of status than something that was actually used.

She had no idea which cabinet had the glasses in them, so she walked to the nearest cabinet, but paused when she glanced out the window. At first she thought it was just her imagination, but then she saw movement again and realized Quinn was sitting out there, rocking back on forth on a porch swing. The snow was falling pretty heavily now, blanketing the ground in the white powder, and Quinn was just sitting out there watching it. Quinn looked so peaceful that Rachel almost didn't want to interrupt her, but after a few minutes of watching her, she walked to the door and quietly opened it.

"You're going to freeze out here," Rachel softly said.

"I didn't know you cared," Quinn replied.

"Contrary to some people's belief, I care about everyone in the Glee Club," Rachel said as she walked up to Quinn, stopping beside the porch swing. "Well, if you're not worried about freezing to death out here, would you mind if I join you?"

"Could I stop you if I tried?" Quinn asked back.

"Yes," Rachel replied.

"I haven't been able to so far," Quinn said.

"Actually, you never told me I couldn't be here or asked me to leave," Rachel pointed out. "You may not be pleased with my being here, but I think you know I'm right. Doing this play is important to both of us, and the only way we're going to get to participate in it is if we put our differences aside. I'm not your enemy, Quinn; I want you to see that."

Quinn looked over at her for a moment but then looked out on the backyard once again as she said, "I never said you were my enemy."

"Maybe not, but it's been clear from the day we met that you didn't like me very much," Rachel said, smoothing her skirt down as she took a seat next to Quinn. "I've just never really been able to figure out why. You jump on me for everything I do or say, and you seem to think I have something against you when I don't."

"You're being a little overdramatic," Quinn replied. "And I thought you said you knew me, so shouldn't you know why?"

"I didn't claim to know everything about you," Rachel said.

Quinn glanced at her but didn't say anything, and Rachel fell silent, watching the snow drift to the ground. The light dusting that had been covering the ground when she arrived had turned into several inches, turning everything in Quinn's backyard white. Thankfully, the porch was covered so they were out of the worst of it, but the wind occasionally caused some of the flakes to drift their way.

"It's really beautiful out here," Rachel commented as she felt a snowflake land on her nose.

"Yeah," Quinn agreed.

Rachel began to shiver, which wasn't surprising since she had gone out in nothing but a sweater and a skirt. Quinn, on the other hand, looked perfectly comfortable sitting there, showing no sign that she was even a little cold.

"My fathers went to Maine for the holidays," Rachel admitted. "They flew up to spend it with Daddy's family. They're going to be there until after Christmas. I tried to get them to wait until after the play so I could go with them, but they wanted to be able to spend more time up there. So, not only are they not going to be here to see me in the play, but I'm going to be alone for a week."

"I'm going inside," Quinn said, standing up, causing the swing to rock back and forth. "You can stay out here or I can show you where the guestroom is."

"Oh—yes," Rachel replied in surprise, quickly standing as well, and giving Quinn a smile. "Yes, thank you."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Present," Rachel correct.

Quinn sighed and looked at her. "What?"

"The Ghost of Christmas Present," Rachel replied. "You said the Ghost of Christmas Past."

She could see Quinn's jaw clench and she knew the blonde was annoyed, but it was Rachel's policy to correct someone whenever they got their lines wrong. Unfortunately, everyone seemed to get angry at her whenever she did it, but she figured it was the only way they would realize they had said the wrong thing. The last thing she wanted was for one of them to embarrass themselves when there were hundreds of people in the audience.

"No one cares," Santana said, rolling her eyes.

"I would hope everyone here cares," Rachel replied. "Our play opens tomorrow, after all."

"Yes, Rachel, thank you," Mr. Schue said, though he didn't sound very thankful. "I have a few notes for everyone, but you guys did awesome. And some of you actually managed to not argue the whole time." He looked at Rachel and Quinn before looking back to the rest of the group. "Okay, I want you all here at nine tomorrow morning for one last run through, and don't be late! And don't forget that tonight is your last chance to make sure you know your lines. There will be hundreds of people in this auditorium tomorrow night to see you guys, but I know you can do it!"

Rachel thought it was a little late to be reminding them all to learn their lines, but she wasn't surprised. Mr. Schue often left everything to the last moment, and this play was no exception. They hadn't been rehearsing nearly as much as they should have been and she knew they would be lucky to get through it without too many mistakes.

"Alright, guys, I'll see you in the morning!" Mr. Schue said. "Oh, and make sure you pick up the notes I have for you!"

Rachel watched as Quinn walked off the stage and picked up her bag from where she'd set it in one of the seats while everyone else walked toward Mr. Schue. The blonde shouldered her bag and then waited, watching as the teacher handed out sheets of paper to everyone, including Rachel, who made sure she was the first in line. Rachel wondered if Quinn was even going to get her notes, expecting her to walk off at any moment, but when there only a few people still gathered around, she slowly walked back up the steps.

"And last but not least, Quinn," Mr. Schue said, looking around for her.

"Hey, um, are you busy tonight?"

Rachel averted her eyes from Quinn and turned around to look at Finn. "Why do you ask, Finn?"

"I was kinda hoping you would maybe help me with my lines," Finn said, giving her a sheepish look. "I know I kinda screwed up that one scene and I hoped you could help me with it."

"I'm sorry, Finn, but I actually do have plans," Rachel replied. "Maybe Kurt can assist you."

Before Finn could say anything else, Rachel began walking away. When she turned around, Quinn was no longer standing on the stage but waiting toward the bottom of the steps, leaning against the arm of one of the chairs.

"Are you actually waiting on me?" Rachel asked, unable to help her smile when Quinn rolled her eyes but didn't deny it. "Are you hungry? I thought maybe we could get some lunch."

Quinn shrugged. "If you want."

"Okay," Rachel said with a slight nod. "Any preference as to where we should go?"

"It doesn't matter," Quinn replied. "Can we get takeout, though? I kind of just want to go home."

"That's fine," Rachel agreed.

Quinn glanced up at her and then pushed off the arm of the chair, picking up her bag once again. As she began walking down the aisle, Rachel quickly followed, falling into step next to her.

"I'm surprised you didn't jump at the chance to help Finn learn his lines," Quinn commented after a few moments.

"Yes, well, I knew it would be a waste of time if I did, and there are plenty of other ways I would rather spend my evening," Rachel replied. "If Finn hasn't learned his lines by now, I don't think there's a lot I could do in one night. Plus—well, Finn and I broke up, so spending the evening with him isn't something I really want to do."

"You what?" Quinn asked.

"We broke up," Rachel replied. "Or I guess I should say he broke up with me. It's for the better, though; now I can concentrate on my future without being distracted by something that's only temporary. I'm going to New York, after all, and that's something Finn never wanted."

"Oh," Quinn said, and Rachel could tell she was surprised.

"Would it be okay if I ride with you?" Rachel asked, not really wanting to talk about her breakup. "You know—since we have to be back here in the morning."

"Yeah," Quinn slowly replied. "Alright."

* * *

"I can't believe how cold it's become," Rachel said, shivering as she slipped her coat off and hung it up.

"It is winter," Quinn remarked.

"I know," Rachel replied. "Actually today is the first day of winter, though I know most people have been considering it winter for about a month now. I guess the moment it turns a little chilly is the unofficial start of winter for a lot of people." Rachel tucked her hair behind her ear as Quinn looked over at her. "So, is there anything you would like to do?"

"Eat," Quinn said with a slight raise of her eyebrow.

"Yes, of course, but I meant—"

"I was joking," Quinn interrupted. "I know what you meant."

"Oh," Rachel replied. "I'm sorry. You're just—well, you're always so serious about everything."

"Or maybe you just don't know me as well as you think you do," Quinn countered.

"Maybe, but I don't think so," Rachel replied. "I think you're afraid that people will see it as a weakness if you show them your less serious side. I also think that's why you try to remain aloof while you're in Glee, but you let go when you think no one is paying attention to you."

Quinn rolled her eyes and began walking toward the kitchen, and Rachel quickly followed. She knew she was right about what she was saying, and Quinn just didn't want to admit it. Rachel had spent enough time watching Quinn, though, and she had seen it firsthand. Quinn always looked disinterested until everyone else was too busy having fun of their own to notice her. It was then that she finally let go and appeared to enjoy herself. It had taken Rachel a while to figure out why, but then she realized it was the same reason Quinn did everything else. All of Quinn's actions were motivated by her desire for popularity.

"So—you never said if there was anything you would like to do," Rachel said. "Other than eat lunch."

"I think that's the first time you've given me a choice since you showed up," Quinn commented.

"You've had a choice about everything, Quinn," Rachel replied. "Whenever I first arrived, you could have asked me to leave, but you didn't, and I certainly didn't force you to let me spend the night."

"What about a movie?" Quinn asked as she set the bags of Chinese takeout down on the counter.

"A movie would be wonderful," Rachel replied. "Do you have one in mind?"

"How about my favorite one," Quinn said with a quirk of her eyebrow.

"Oh—okay," Rachel replied.

"And what movie would that be?" Quinn asked. "Since you know me so well."

Rachel opened her mouth as she racked her brain, trying to think if Quinn had ever possibly mentioned her favorite movie. Or any movie at all, really. As far as Rachel could remember, Quinn had never once mentioned going to the movies or liking a certain show. For that matter, Rachel couldn't remember Quinn ever mentioning doing anything outside of school.

"Well?" Quinn asked.

"I don't believe you've ever mentioned your favorite movie, so how am I supposed to know what it is?" Rachel asked back after a few moments.

"Because I have mentioned it," Quinn replied.

Rachel frowned. "You have?"

"Just admit that you don't know me as well as you think you do," Quinn said, pulling out two plates from the cabinet, and turning around to set one in front of Rachel.

"Just because I don't know your favorite movie, it doesn't mean I don't know other things," Rachel replied with a huff.

"Uh huh," Quinn said, not sounding very convinced.

Rachel grabbed one of the food containers and glanced inside. "This one is yours."

Quinn nodded and slid the one she was holding across the island. "I guess that one's yours then."

"Let's hope," Quinn replied. "It wouldn't be the first time they've messed up my order, giving me something that is clearly not vegan. I probably should have checked before we left the restaurant." She opened the container and glanced inside. "Thankfully, it appears to be okay." Rachel sighed. "Okay, I give in. What's your favorite movie?"

Quinn glanced at her but didn't immediately answer, and Rachel knew she was doing it on purpose. Rachel wasn't about to beg her to answer, so she continued to wait, and Quinn eventually said, "Ghost."

"Ghost?" Rachel asked. "I swear you've never said that in my presence."

"Oh really?" Quinn said, raising her eyebrow.

"Yes, really," Rachel replied.

"Do you remember when Kurt sang Unchained Melody last year?" Quinn asked.

Rachel paused for a moment; she remembered it perfectly, but she didn't want to admit she was wrong. Unfortunately for her, she also had a policy against lying. "Yes, I remember."

"And?" Quinn said.

"And you may have mentioned that Ghost is your favorite movie," Rachel mumbled.

"That's what I thought," Quinn said, giving her a slight smirk.

* * *

"Your parents have an amazing record collection," Rachel said as she flipped through, occasionally picking one up and looking at the track listing on the back.

"Those are mine, actually," Quinn replied.

"Really?" Rachel asked, looking over her shoulder.

"I don't have a record player in my room, so I just keep them down here," Quinn replied.

"Oh," Rachel said in surprise. "Well, you have an amazing record collection, Quinn."

"Surprised?" Quinn asked.

"No," Rachel replied. "Okay, a little. Most people our age are all about having things digitally. People don't even want to buy compact discs anymore."

"I like records," Quinn said, shrugging. "I think they sound better."

"I agree," Rachel replied. "I don't have any of my own, but I've always enjoyed listening to my fathers' old records. It's mostly music from the 60s and 70s, and of course they have a bunch of soundtracks. They have a fairly extensive collection, but I think you have an even larger collection than they do." She picked one of the albums up and smiled. "Would you mind if I put this on?"

"Do whatever you want," Quinn said, not even looking up.

"That could be a dangerous thing to say to me," Rachel replied, giving Quinn a smile.

"You'll do whatever you want whether I say it or not," Quinn said.

"That's not true," Rachel replied as she put the record on. "I always ask for permission. You can't deny that."

There was a few moments of static before the den was filled with Brenda Lee singing Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree. Rachel hadn't listened to the album since she was a child and she smiled at the sound. It was something her father had always played when she was growing up. At least until the record had been broken during a small mishap that had resulted in the destruction of about a quarter of her fathers' records.

"You have no idea how often I used to listen to this album," Rachel commented. "The day after Thanksgiving, I'd pull it out, and it wouldn't leave the record player until December 26th. Dad always said how thankful he was that she didn't record a Hanukkah album."

Rachel smiled to herself and then glanced over her shoulder, watching Quinn for a moment. The blonde was looking over her script for the play even though she had her lines memorized better than anyone else. Excluding Rachel, herself, of course. Quinn had only gotten a few lines wrong, whereas most of their fellow cast members had to be fed their lines more than once.

"Pick my favorite album," Quinn said after Rachel began shuffling through the albums again.

"What?" Rachel asked.

"My favorite album," Quinn said. "What is it?"

"I—" Rachel scowled slightly and looked down. She hated that Quinn kept proving her wrong about knowing her, and Rachel didn't want to be wrong again. She'd heard Quinn sing plenty of songs in Glee over the past year, so surely she could figure out what Quinn's favorite album was.

As she flipped through the albums, she made a mental note of which ones she thought was a possibly until she finally settled on one. "This one."

She held up The Supremes A' Go-Go, knowing that Quinn had sung both You Can't Hurry Love and Baby I Need Your Loving. Plus, she was obviously a fan of the group, having sung several others as well. The moment Quinn smirked, though, she knew she was wrong. And when Quinn walked up beside her, Rachel took a step to the side, watching as Quinn began going through her record collection until she stopped and grabbed one, holding one up.

"Tapestry," Rachel said, looking at the album cover, and then locking eyes with Quinn. "That's one of my favorite albums as well. I didn't know you were a big Carole King fan."

"I think we've established that you don't know me very well," Quinn stated.

Rachel crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't know if I would say that."

"Admit it," Quinn demanded.

Rachel huffed, and then after a few moments threw her arms up and said, "Fine. I may not know you quite as well as I believed, but that doesn't mean I don't know you. I think I know quite a few of the important things, which I think means more than knowing your favorite movie or album. Not that that's not important, too, or that I don't want to know those things."

"Are you saying you want to know me?" Quinn asked when Rachel trailed off.

"Of course," Rachel replied. "I've always wanted to know you, Quinn. You've just always pushed me away anytime I've tried to get to know you better."

"Do you ever think there was a reason for that?" Quinn asked.

"Was?" Rachel asked back. "As in past tense?"

"I should go through the rest of the play," Quinn said, clearly avoiding the question. "I should be done soon."

Rachel nodded and then gave Quinn a smile. "If you need any help, let me know."

* * *

"My mother's in Connecticut. She decided to spend Christmas with my sister and her family. She actually left a few weeks ago and isn't going to be back until after New Year's."

"Are you going to join her once the play is over," Rachel asked.

Quinn shook her head. "I don't really get along with my sister, and I'm sure my mom would rather me not be there."

Rachel frowned. "I find that difficult to believe."

"Well, you shouldn't," Quinn replied.

"I assumed things were okay between you and your mother now," Rachel said. "I mean, she did ask you to move back in, after all."

"They were," Quinn replied. "For a while."

"What happened?" Rachel asked, but rather than answer, Quinn looked away. "Never mind. You don't have to tell me. Just know that if you ever want to talk about it, I am here. Even though I'm sure you'd rather talk to Brittany or Santana about it considering they're your friends, but—"

"Brittany and Santana aren't my friends," Quinn interrupted. "Not really, anyway."

"I thought—"

"I know what everyone thinks," Quinn said. "If you didn't notice, neither of them were there for me whenever my parents kicked me out of the house. I ended up living with Mercedes, who I'd barely talked to before she asked me to move in."

"I just thought their parents wouldn't let you," Rachel replied.

"They never even asked," Quinn said.

Rachel was a little surprised; she never figured the three were best friends who went to each other with everything, but she at least thought they were friends. She had noticed that Quinn hadn't moved in with either of them when her father kicked her out for getting pregnant, but it hadn't occurred to her that they had never even offered.

"I'm sorry," Rachel said. "I always thought it was your choice not to live with either of them. If you don't mind my asking, why are you always with them if you don't even consider them your friends?"

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, right?" Quinn replied. "And it's better than being completely alone. I'm pretty sure you have more friends than I do, and at least you're not afraid to be yourself around them."

"Yes, and I'm punished for being myself every single day," Rachel stated. "Everyone uses everything I do or say against me. They use it as a reason to bully me and to treat me as if I don't matter."

Quinn looked down, and Rachel couldn't help wondering if she actually felt guilty. She'd never really shown any sign of feeling bad about it before, but Rachel thought she may actually see signs of guilt on Quinn's face for the first time. She wasn't going to push, though, knowing there was a good chance Quinn would just shut her out.

"Do you think you're prepared for tomorrow?" Rachel asked, changing the subject as she turned away.

"I guess," Quinn replied.

"I hope our final rehearsal goes a little better than today's," Rachel commented. "You and I both did well, but I'm afraid I can't say the same for some of the others. Poor Sam was always in the wrong spot at the wrong time, and Brittany and Finn could only seem to remember every other one of their lines." Rachel paused for a moment. "Speaking of Sam—are you two still in a relationship? I haven't really seen you two speak in a while and, well, I was just curious, I guess."

"No," Quinn replied. "I broke up with him right after Sectionals."

"Oh," Rachel said, looking over her shoulder at the blonde. "I hadn't heard."

"You know how fast things go around the school," Quinn remarked. "I didn't exactly feel like everyone asking me why and I don't think Sam wanted to advertise that I dumped him."

"I can't imagine he would, no," Rachel agreed. "Do you think you'll begin dating him again?"

Quinn shook her head. "No."

"Well, Finn is single now," Rachel said before she could stop herself. "I know you two didn't end on the best terms, but I always had the feeling that Finn would break up with me if you told him you wanted him back."

"I'm not interested in dating Sam or Finn," Quinn stated.

"Does that mean there's someone you _are_ interested in?" Rachel wondered.

Quinn locked eyes with her for a moment, but then shrugged and looked down, and Rachel knew she wasn't going to get an answer. Not that she'd really expected to; Quinn was so secretive about a lot of things. The only reason Rachel knew half the things she knew about Quinn was because she was a people watcher, and it was hard not to keep her eyes on Quinn anytime they were in a room together.

* * *

"Rachel, what are you doing?"

"Well, you had all these boxes of decorations just sitting around and Christmas Eve is in two days, so I thought someone should put them out," Rachel replied as she hung a snowman ornament on the tree. "There's no reason you shouldn't celebrate the holiday even if you're by yourself. I hope you don't mind. Last year you mentioned how much you love Christmas, and it just made me a little sad to see the house undecorated."

"Are you allowed to even do that?" Quinn asked.

"What?" Rachel asked with a frown as she looked over her shoulder, seeing an amused smile on the blonde's face.

"Putting up Christmas decorations when you're Jewish," Quinn said.

"Oh, well, it certainly isn't the first time I've done it," Rachel replied. "We've always celebrated both holidays in my household since Dad is Jewish and Daddy grew up in a Christian household. He doesn't really go to church any longer, but he still likes to celebrate with the traditions he grew up with."

"What was that like?" Quinn asked.

"It was great." Rachel replied. "While everyone else only got to celebrate one holiday, I got two. As silly as it sounds, it always made me feel special in a way. I got to do things that other people didn't get to do. And anything that gets you more presents can never be a bad thing." Rachel held out the box of ornaments she had in her hand. "Would you like to join me?"

Quinn hesitated for a moment and then picked up one of the ornaments. Rachel smiled and looked back at the tree, adjusted a few of the branches to hide a slightly empty patch. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Quinn look over at her, so she held the box out for her again.

"Did you really think I would go after Finn again?"

"What?" Rachel asked, furrowing her brows. "Oh—I don't know. It wouldn't be unheard of for exes to get back together, especially when they may have unfinished business. You and Finn did break up rather abruptly rather than running your natural course as a couple."

"I think it's safe to say we ran our course," Quinn replied.

"I just mean you didn't break up because you grew tired of one another," Rachel said.

"Truthfully, I never really liked Finn," Quinn admitted. "You were right when you said I was only dating him because it would make me more popular. The head cheerleader dates the quarterback; that's how it works. It's what my sister did and I knew it's what my parents expected of me as well. I never really wanted Finn, though. Or Sam. Or Puck."

"Then—then why did you sleep with Noah?" Rachel wondered.

Quinn shrugged. "Because he made me feel like I was wanted and because I just wanted to feel normal for a moment."

"Quinn—"

"Don't," Quinn interrupted. "Don't ask; I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay," Rachel replied. "You don't have to."

Rachel gave Quinn a smile and then walked over to the tub full of Christmas decorations and grabbed another box of ornaments, which she handed to Quinn before walking back and pulling out some garland and holly. Since Quinn was working on the tree, she looked around to find the best place to hang the garland up.

"Should this go on the mantle or should it be hung in the archway?" Rachel eventually asked, unable to make a decision of her own.

"The archway," Quinn answered. "We always put the candles on the mantle."

"You wouldn't happen to have a step stool, would you?" Rachel asked.

"In the hall closet," Quinn said, nodding toward it.

"So, I was thinking about the play while I was decorating the tree," Rachel said as she walked over and began searching for the stool. "I think Mr. Schue is wrong about the hat he's making you wear. I think you and Tina should switch. It would go much better with your costume and it wouldn't hide your face as much. You're the lead, after all, and people should be able to see you. I know I've voiced my opinion and Mr. Schue hasn't listened, but I think if you agree and you said something that he would listen to you." Rachel walked back into the den and glanced at Quinn. "Please don't take this as a criticism or anything. I just think—"

"I'll talk to him," Quinn interrupted.

Rachel smiled and nodded before dropping the stool and stepping up on it. Even though she was elevated, it was still a little difficult for her to reach the top of the archway, but she eventually got it hung after stretching a bit.

"What do you think?" Rachel asked, looking over her shoulder. "I thought the holly looked good in the middle."

"That's not holly," Quinn replied, walking up next to her. "Holly has red berries."

"Oh, well, it's still pretty," Rachel said.

"It's mistletoe," Quinn added.

"Oh," Rachel said, looking up, and then looking at Quinn.

Their eyes locked together for a moment, and Rachel only looked away when she saw Quinn's tongue dart along her bottom lip. For a moment, Rachel swore Quinn was leaning in—or maybe _she_ was the one leaning in—but before she knew it, Quinn was walking away.

* * *

 **The last chapter will be up tomorrow.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Final chapter…**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

"Do you often sit out here?" Rachel asked, taking the seat next to Quinn.

"Sometimes," Quinn replied.

Rachel nodded as the porch swing slowly rocked back and forth, and then pulled her scarf tighter around her neck as looked out at the sun, which was just beginning to rise. It was well below freezing and starting to flurry, but she'd thankfully thought to get her coat and scarf before going out this time.

"I brought you some coffee," Rachel said, suddenly remembering what she was holding in her hand. "It's chilly out here and I thought you could use it."

Quinn looked at her for a moment and then reached out and took the mug. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Rachel replied.

They had to be at their final rehearsal in a few hours, but right now, they had a bit of time to just relax before the long day ahead of them. Which was good because Rachel hadn't slept all that well. She'd spent the night for the second time, and had been unusually restless throughout the night. She couldn't seem to turn her thoughts off long enough to fall asleep no matter how hard she tried to clear her mind.

"I guess we'll be free after this evening," Rachel commented. "Or I guess I should say you'll be free. I'm sure you're happy to know that." Rachel paused for a moment, waiting for Quinn to agree with her, but she didn't. "Can I ask you something?"

"If I said no, would it stop you?" Quinn asked back.

"Well, no, probably not," Rachel replied. "I guess I should have asked if you would give me an honest answer to what I would like to ask you. Just one question and then I won't ask any more."

"Ever?" Quinn asked.

Rachel opened her mouth to reply, but then she realized by the look on Quinn's face that she was just joking. It certainly wasn't something she was used to from Quinn, but she was beginning to realize she wasn't quite as serious as she'd thought. Rachel couldn't help but wonder if she was like this with other people. She knew from the things Finn had said that Quinn was never like that with him, but maybe Mercedes had seen that side of her when Quinn had lived at the Jones's.

"What is it?" Quinn asked after a few moments.

"Why me?" Rachel asked. "Why am I the one you bully? There are other students who are just as unpopular as I am, so why am I the one you chose to insult and throw slushies at? I've never understood why you've hated me so much from what seemed like the first moment you saw me. I've always wondered why."

"Because I saw the way Finn looked at you," Quinn replied.

"What?" Rachel asked.

"I was talking to Finn near my locker and you were walking down the hallway, and I saw how he turned and looked at you," Quinn replied. "You're wrong, though; it wasn't the first time I saw you."

Rachel frowned. "So, the reason you've bullied me is because Finn noticed me?"

"Not entirely," Quinn replied.

"Did I insult you in some way without realizing it?" Rachel asked.

"No," Quinn answered.

"Then what was it?" Rachel asked. "You know, if it wasn't just because of Finn. What did I do?"

"You didn't do anything," Quinn replied. "Not really."

"Then why?" Rachel asked again.

"Partly because you annoyed me," Quinn replied. "You annoyed me with how confident you were, and how you made me—"

"Made you what?" Rachel wondered.

"Nothing," Quinn replied.

"Quinn—"

"I told you what you wanted to know," Quinn interrupted.

Rachel didn't exactly have the answer she wanted, but she knew better than to push Quinn when she was clearly done talking about it. She sensed there was more to it, and she just hoped she eventually figured out what that was. It was something she'd always wondered about, and she guessed Quinn's current explanation, even if it was incomplete, was better than not knowing at all.

"So, do you think we'll be able to make it through our final rehearsal without incident?" Rachel asked after several minutes of silence.

Quinn shrugged. "Even if we don't, it would be a little late to cancel the play now."

"Yes, but he also threatened to replace us," Rachel replied.

"I don't think even Mr. Schue would do something so last minute," Quinn said. "It would be a disaster."

"Much like Regionals last year, but that didn't stop him then from waiting until the last minute," Rachel remarked. "And let's be honest, we were incredibly lucky to tie with The Warblers at Sectionals this year. We were completely unprepared. We're just lucky Mike and Brittany could come up with a dance so quickly. I wouldn't put it past Mr. Schue to put someone else in our roles even an hour before we're supposed to go on."

"Then I guess we'll just have to make sure it doesn't happen," Quinn replied.

"I guess so," Rachel agreed.

* * *

"You still have the fake snow in your hair," Rachel said, reaching out, and plucking some of the white flakes from Quinn's hair.

"I almost slipped on this damn stuff," Quinn replied, shaking the rest of it out of her hair.

"I saw," Rachel said, furrowing her brows. "If it makes you feel any better, it wasn't too noticeable, and maybe it won't happen when there's an actual audience. Other than that, everything's gone perfectly so far. Well, with you. Finn tripping over the fireplace cutout and taking down Tina and half the set wasn't so perfect. It's a shame Mr. Schue didn't choose Noah or Mike to play my husband; I'm sure neither of them would have been so clumsy."

It wasn't the first time Finn had taken down part of the set, and Rachel just hoped it didn't happen when they were performing in front of an audience. Not only would it be embarrassing for Finn, but it would be an embarrassment to the whole production, and she was determined for everything to go off without a hitch.

"Maybe there's something we can do to your shoes before this evening to make them less slick," Rachel said. "Or do you think you'll be okay?"

Quinn shrugged. "I guess we'll find out if I fall in a little bit."

"Yes, but I wouldn't want you getting hurt," Rachel replied.

Quinn's eyebrow rose. "I didn't know you were so worried about me."

"Well—we do have a play to put on this evening," Rachel said, giving her a soft smile.

Rachel cared about it for more than just the play, but she knew it would probably only embarrass Quinn if she said so. Truthfully, she'd always cared about Quinn even when the blonde was lashing out at her and using her as her verbal punching bag. Rachel had a habit of caring about everyone, though it only seemed to intensify when she became friends with someone or developed a crush on them. And she'd had a crush on Quinn since the moment she saw her.

It wasn't something she'd ever admitted to anyone and she knew she never stood a chance with her, but she couldn't help the attraction she felt toward her. Quinn was beautiful, but it was more than that. She knew Quinn had a good heart deep down, but she was just too afraid of letting people see it. Rachel had always been determined to befriend Quinn, hoping to eventually see that side of her, but she had all but given up. At least until now. Now, she had hope again that she and Quinn could maybe become friends. Or at least be on friendlier terms.

"Oh no," Rachel said with a slight cringe.

"What?" Quinn asked.

"Finn just caused Kurt to trip over his crutch," Rachel said.

"He's not even in this scene," Quinn replied.

Rachel signed. "I know."

"Well, look on the bright side," Quinn said, looking at Rachel. "At least we won't be the two screwing up the play tonight."

"Let's hope no one does," Rachel replied. "But you're right. It won't be either of us." She glanced at Quinn. "I'm beginning to be thankful my fathers aren't here to see this, though. At least the people I love most won't be here to see it if it is a complete disaster, which I'm starting to think it may be. I still had some hope, but after seeing Finn walk into a scene he's not even a part of, I'm beginning to have my doubts."

"It'll be okay," Quinn said.

"Do you really think so?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

"Do you think the rest of the Glee Club would be willing to go caroling tomorrow?" Rachel asked after a few moments. "I know it didn't work out so well when we did it at school, but I think the community may be a little more appreciative of it."

"Well, considering tomorrow is Christmas Eve, they'll probably want to spend it with their families," Quinn replied.

Rachel sighed. "That's too bad. It would be nice to have something to do."

"You could always come over," Quinn lightly replied.

"Really?" Rachel asked in surprise. "I didn't really figure you would want to spend another evening with me again so soon after having to spend the past few days with me."

Quinn shrugged. "It's not like I didn't have a choice; as you've said, I could've told you to go away."

"You're right, but that doesn't mean you've enjoyed having me around and wish to continue it," Rachel replied. "It could just mean you really wanted to do this play and you knew this was the only way."

* * *

"Another roll?" Rachel asked, offering the basket to Quinn when she noticed she'd eaten hers.

"Thanks," Quinn said, taking one from the basket.

Rachel set the basket back on the table and then glanced across at Kurt, who was looking back at her. He raised his eyebrows slightly and Rachel furrowed her brows, wondering why he was looking at her like that. She hadn't said much since they arrived at Breadstix with the rest of her fellow Glee Club members that were involved in the play, so she didn't know what she could have possibly said or done to earn that look from him.

"Why are they taking so long?" Finn asked. "I'm starving."

"Because there are twelve of us at the table, and it's unreasonable to think they can cook all of our orders in ten minutes," Rachel answered.

"It's been, like, thirty minutes," Finn argued.

"It's been twelve," Quinn said, sounding annoyed with him.

"It's gotta be longer than that," Finn replied.

Rachel smiled when Quinn rolled her eyes and stood up from the table. As the blonde walked across the room, Rachel kept her eyes on her until she disappeared into the bathroom. When she finally averted her eyes, she saw that Kurt was looking at her again, and she quickly looked down, feeling like he could see right through her.

"When does Mr. Schue want us back there?" Brittany asked.

"Don't worry, B," Santana replied. "We've got time."

Rachel thought they were lucky to be getting an hour for dinner considering how disastrous their rehearsals had been. They were only supposed to go through it all once that morning, but once had turned into twice, which had turned into a third rehearsal. And the third one had barely gone better than the first. Finn was still tripping over the sets, half the cast still didn't know all their lines or where they were supposed to stand at what time, and the costumes still needed work. Thankfully, they had one more chance to get it right before they had to perform it in front of an audience. Rachel just hoped it was enough and that everything would fall into place.

"Someone give me those," Santana said, nodding toward the basket of bread sticks.

Rachel and Finn both reached for the basket, but Rachel quickly withdrew her hand when it touched Finn's. After reaching the basket across the table to Santana, Finn looked at Rachel and gave her a crooked grin, which she didn't return. She could tell by his behavior the past few days that he was probably regretting their breakup, but he'd had his chance. This was the second time she had been dumped by him and she wasn't going to give him the chance to do it a third time.

"Does anyone need a refill?" their waitress asked, stopping by the table.

"Quinn does," Rachel answered, nodding across the table. "She's drinking diet Coke."

As everyone talked around her, Rachel sat there in silence and observed the people around her. She didn't really know how everyone could look so carefree when they were going to be on stage in only a few hours and half of them were far from ready. She was actually beginning to feel a little sick from thinking about it. She knew she would be perfect, but she had a feeling the production itself was going to be a disaster.

"Are you okay?"

Rachel hummed as she looked over at Quinn, who had come back from the bathroom without her noticing. "Oh, yes, I'm fine."

Quinn's eyebrow rose. "I don't believe you."

"Okay, so, I'm beginning to get a little nervous about the play," Rachel whispered, not wanting everyone to overhear her.

"You'll be fine, Rachel," Quinn replied.

"I know I'll be fine," Rachel said. "It's everyone else that I'm worried about. Well, not everyone. You've done a perfectly fine job and I have no doubt you'll do the same tonight."

"I think that's a first," Quinn commented.

Rachel frowned. "A first for what?"

"That you've actually complimented me," Quinn replied.

Rachel huffed. "That's not true and you know it. I've certainly told you in the past that you're beautiful."

Rachel had said it before thinking and she could feel her face grow hot. She noticed she wasn't alone, though; Quinn's cheeks had a red tinge to them as well.

"Where's the waitress?" Finn asked, looking around. "I'm thirsty."

"Of course she would come while I was gone," Quinn remarked.

"It's okay; I told her you wanted a refill," Rachel said.

"Okay, what the hell is with you two?" Santana asked.

"What do you mean?" Rachel asked back.

"Two days ago you hated each other and now you're suddenly like an old married couple," Santana replied. "And you've been like this all damn day. It's making me want to puke up this breadstick."

Rachel felt her face grow warm again, but she tried to ignore it as she said, "I've never hated Quinn."

Rachel glanced across the table at Quinn, expecting her to lash out at Santana, but much to Rachel's surprise, the blonde remained silent.

* * *

Rachel stood in the wings and watched as Mercedes, Tina, Kurt, and Finn waited for the curtain to come up so they could begin singing Silent Night. Since the whole Glee Club was involved in the play, Mr. Schue had added more music than was normally required for A Christmas Carol, so this was just the first of eight songs throughout the play. Not that Rachel minded; it was actually one of the things she thought he had done right. Plus, she considered anytime she got to sing in front of an audience a good thing.

"I wonder if Finn will walk off the wrong side of the stage this time."

A slight smile appeared on Rachel's face at the sound of Quinn's voice. "It is the day before Christmas Eve, a time known for miracles."

"As long as he doesn't run into me again, I won't have to hurt him," Quinn replied.

"I'm sure he won't," Rachel said. "I think he's rather afraid of you after that final rehearsal, so I can't see him making that mistake again. Although, with the way everything has been going, he'll probably simply do it to someone else." She shook her head. "I don't know why it's been so difficult for him. I've never known him to be this clumsy."

"Trying to walk and talk and think at the same time is probably too much for him," Quinn replied.

Rachel couldn't help laughing even though Quinn was being a little mean. She also couldn't say she disagreed, though, so she said, "Maybe you're right."

Rachel glanced over at Quinn and saw that the blonde was looking back at her. Behind them, Mr. Schue was telling everyone to get in their places because the show was going to start as soon as everyone in the auditorium was seated. Nearly all of them were already in their places, though, since he'd told them the exact same thing five minutes prior.

"I've never seen Kurt look so nervous before," Rachel commented.

"That's because he knows this is going to be terrible," Quinn replied.

"I wouldn't say it's going to be terrible," Rachel said, receiving a look of skepticism from Quinn. "Okay, so, it's not going to be perfect, but

you and I have the biggest parts, so maybe we can distract from those who are less than perfectly prepared."

Really, it was just Finn, Sam, and Brittany who weren't completely prepared. And it was always obvious when Sam or Finn messed up because they would stammer and get flustered. Brittany, on the other hand, tended to improvise, so while it was obvious when she went off script, at least she wasn't standing there in silence or saying 'uh' repeatedly. Unfortunately, the things that came out of Brittany's mouth when she could remember her actual lines tended to make the rest of them break character, causing them to laugh when they were supposed to be serious.

"We'll be okay," Rachel promised. "And if we're not, at least we won't embarrass ourselves in front of too many of our peers. I peeked into

the auditorium a little bit ago and it's mostly older people out there. I only saw a few people I actually recognized from school and it was mostly teachers."

"I guess that's something," Quinn replied.

Rachel nodded and then glanced at Quinn and quietly asked, "Did you really mean it when you said I could come over tomorrow?"

Quinn didn't immediately answer, and Rachel looked over at her, wondering whether or not Quinn was having second thoughts about her offer or if she really meant it. Considering she'd more or less forced her presence on Quinn for the past few days, she'd really expected Quinn to be tired of her by now. Which is why she was having a hard time believing that Quinn had really meant it when she said she could come over for Christmas Eve. It just seemed too good to be true.

"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't mean it," Quinn said after a few moments.

"I just—" Rachel shook her head. "Are you certain?"

Quinn sighed. "Rachel—"

"I'm sorry," Rachel interrupted. "I was just surprised by your offer, but I would love to join you tomorrow evening. I know I certainly don't want to be alone."

"So, you'll come over?" Quinn asked.

Rachel smiled and then nodded. "I would be happy to."

"Okay, guys, we're ready," Mr. Schue said. "Raise the curtain. And, Quinn, as soon as Kurt's solo begins at the end of song, I want to you to start walking onto—"

"She knows, Mr. Schue," Rachel interrupted, glancing at Quinn, and giving her a smile.

* * *

As Rachel finished changing out of her costume, she still had a smile on her face. The play may not have been perfect, but it had gone better than she'd thought it would. People may not have remembered their lines perfectly and they may not have always been standing where they were supposed to, but she didn't think it was too noticeable. Really, the worst that had happened was when one of the fake houses fell over, and that hadn't been anyone's fault. At least none of the cast's fault, anyway.

By the time Rachel had her regular clothes on and had grabbed her things from the choir room, nearly everyone else was gone. And to Rachel's disappointment, Quinn was one of them that was nowhere to be seen. She'd hoped to catch her after the play, but it seemed like she had taken too long.

"I hope you have a good holiday, Kurt," Rachel said as she shouldered her bag.

"Have any big plans for the break?" Kurt asked.

"Not really," Rachel replied, giving him a slightly sad smile. "I'll see you in a few weeks, Kurt."

"Call me," Kurt said. "Maybe we can get together."

Rachel nodded, though she figured he probably didn't really mean it. "I may do that."

Rachel gave him another smile and then walked to the door and into the hallway. As she walked down the hall, she passed by Finn, who was standing with Burt and Carole, and they locked eyes for a minute. Before he could say anything, though, she'd already looked away, hoping he wasn't going to try to stop her. Thankfully, he didn't say anything and Rachel made it to the front of the school without being stopped by anyone. And she was even more thrilled to see Quinn in the parking lot when she walked out of the high school.

She wondered why Quinn was still there since she'd assumed she'd left a while ago, but there she was. She was leaning against her car, her arms crossed over her chest as she watched the snow fall from the sky.

Rachel watched her for a minute or two and then quietly began walking across the parking lot. She knew Quinn was aware of her presence, though; even if the blonde didn't look her way, Rachel could tell by the way Quinn's posture seemed to relax.

"You left before I could tell you how wonderful you did tonight," Rachel softly said.

"You weren't so bad yourself," Quinn replied, and Rachel could see a slight smile appear on her face.

"I was also hoping to tell you that you were right," Rachel said, stopping next to Quinn.

"Right about what?" Quinn asked.

"About me not knowing you as well as I thought I did," Rachel said, leaning her hip against Quinn's car. "I was wrong. Although, not about everything. I still like to think I know a lot of the important things. I've always considered myself an observant person and a people watcher, and I would be lying if I said I didn't occasionally find my attention on you."

"I don't know if I should find that creepy or flattering," Quinn replied.

"I was hoping you would find it the latter," Rachel said, glancing at Quinn, and giving her a smile. "I just mean that you're—you're difficult not to watch sometimes. It's when you think no one's paying attention that you seem to let your guard down. That's the only time I've ever felt like I've seen the real you." Rachel paused for a second. "Until the last few days, that is."

Rachel looked down for a moment and then looked back up at Quinn. "I want to thank you for letting me stay at your house. I don't know what I would have done if Mr. Schue didn't allow me to participate in the play. It was the whole reason I was missing Christmas with Daddy's family and it would have felt like it was all for nothing. So, thank you."

"You don't need to thank me," Quinn replied. "It wasn't so bad."

"And I was thinking," Rachel continued. "Since I don't know you as well as I thought I did, I was thinking that maybe we could get to know each other a little better. If you're willing, of course. I know the play is over, but that doesn't mean we have to go back to the way things were. Does that sound like something you would maybe be willing to do?"

Quinn gave a light shrug. "Maybe."

"And I was also thinking about one other thing," Rachel said, pushing off the car, and taking a step toward Quinn. "I was thinking about last night and whether or not what happened—or I guess I should say what I thought was about to happen—was simply my imagination or if—"

"It wasn't," Quinn interrupted.

"Oh," Rachel said, surprised Quinn wasn't going to deny it. "Well, then—"

Rachel didn't know what to say, so she decided not to say anything. Instead, she hesitantly leaned forward, expecting Quinn to move away before their lips touched, but she didn't. It was soft and quick and Quinn's lips were cold from standing out in the freezing air, and Rachel knew it was something she would never forget. And as she pulled away, she couldn't hide the grin that tugged at the corners of her mouth.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Rachel asked after several moments of silence, not really knowing what else to say.

Quinn nodded. "Yeah. I'll see you."

"Goodnight, Quinn," Rachel said.

Rachel could admit that she didn't know as much about Quinn as she originally thought, but she did know not to push her. And, even though she didn't want to walk away, she knew she needed to. So, with one last look at Quinn, Rachel turned and began walking toward her car, knowing she would see Quinn the next day and maybe get to learn a little more about her.

* * *

 **Thanks to everyone for reading my little holiday story.**


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